Zhrek
by TheShockaholic
Summary: Ever wonder what would have happened if Zuko had been in the same circumstances as Shrek? I did. rated T for language-but it's not that bad [Zutara]
1. Chapter 1

**So this is what happens when you combine: **

**...the "Shrek the Musical" Soundtrack, **

**...very little sleep,**

**...a transcontinental flight, **

**...and Air Line food, you get Zhrek! **

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! "Shrek" is property of Dreamworks and "Avatar: the Last Airbender" is property of Nickelodeon.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

_-Ember Island- _

"Long ago...there was a lovely princess. But she had an enchantment upon her of a fearful sort which could only be broken by love's first kiss. She was locked away in a castle guarded by a terrible fire-breathing dragon. Many brave knights had attempted to free her from this dreadful prison, but none prevailed. She waited in the dragon's keep in the highest room of the tallest tower for her true love and true love's first kiss...what a load of garbage."

The young man closed the book and tossed it into the fire place of his home. As the flames jump, the man's menacing features become highlighted. The long scraggly mop of ink black hair, the feral golden eyes, and horrible burn scar that covers his left eye up to his left ear. This is Zuko-The Exile.

Branded by his scar and disgraced by his people, Zuko was banished from home and exiled to the now deserted Ember Island at the tender age of thirteen. Now a young man of seventeen Zuko has adjusted to life on the island, living off the land, surviving the tropical storms, and being completely alone, as he prefers. Left only with his mark and his hate he cultivated a "lone wolf-bat" mentality.

Living on an island he was seldom bothered, there were the occasional ships looking for shelter from the tropical storms, but they were quickly turned away. Those ships never returned to their harbours and as Ember Island was their last known destination Zuko was condemned as a monster, a cold blooded killer.

Feeling stifled by the walls of his home, Zuko goes down to the shore, where the remains of yet another ship lay scattered across the sand. Though the event is indeed tragic, it has become so commonplace for Zuko his only thoughts were _'Great, now I've got to clean this crap off the beach.' _

Starting towards the closest piece of wreckage, Zuko is hit in the face by a piece of paper. Peeling it from his face he is ready to torch it, but he becomes intrigued by what it says. It's a flyer of some kind-more of a mass wanted notice.

"Wanted: All misfits, outcasts, and "renegade" benders. Will exchange cash for said fugitives. Relocation to..."

'_Who cares?'_ discarding the paper, Zuko goes back to clearing the beach.

* * *

><p>Farther down the beach, out of sight of Zuko and his cleaning, two fire nation prison ships land on the beaches. The hull doors open and under the gaze of heavily armed guards the prisoners are unloaded. The leader of these forces-Admiral Zhao-watches as the people and other creatures are unloaded.<p>

Zhao is both astounded and disgusted by the menagerie of freaks he sees paraded before him; earth benders, water benders, an odd man foaming at the mouth, and a woman dressed all in black with a strange eyeless beast she calls a Shirshu. And then of course there was the Troublemaker, the happy-go-lucky kid with the weird tattoos and the stick. They didn't know what reason he could have for being there, but the creepy chick who brought him pointed out that they were taking "foamy" so why not? They only paid her a single copper piece for the boy, and she didn't ask for more.

Looking back, Zhao thought, the girl should have paid them. As he was thinking the boy was once again raising a fuss...

"Please let me go! I'm just a kid!" Aang screamed as the two guards dragged him off the ship. Things were just not going well for him today, it was bad enough that Meng-his own "girlfriend"-had sold him to the Fire Nation, but now they were abandoning him and the others on some strange island. Well Aang wouldn't have it. "You can't do this to me, I've got rights!"

"You little monstrosity, you're a freak, you have no rights!" the angry man was Admiral Zhao, the thug's leader. As he shouted he came to stand before Aang. Ignoring him Zhao turned to one of the guards holding him. "What was he doing this time?"

"Admiral, we caught the boy trying to escape from the stern of the ship with this odd stick-like thing. We figure he was just trying to swim off." The soldier handed the Admiral Aang's staff. There seemed to be nothing special about it. It was just a simple square-cut wooden staff with a diamond shape carved into the wood at both ends, but seeing the look on the boy's face-the abject horror in his eyes-filled him with a sick, twisted, pleasure. Taking the staff in both hands Zhao starts to bend it, making like he wants to snap it, then he uses his fire bending to set the staff on fire. The look on the boys on that moment was priceless.

"Oh no don't look so upset," Zhao said to the boy in a deeply fake patronising tone, "Look around you, this island is full of trees. Surely you can find another stick."

Without warning the boy kicks out at nothing and Zhao is hit in the gut by a huge gust of wind. Shocked the guards loosen their grip ever so slightly and Aang takes that opportunity to jump a whopping ten feet in the air, stunning the men and everyone else. When Aang lands a mere three feet away he hits the ground running.

Zhao is still on the ground at this time. He could not believe what he just witnessed. The child was an air bender; most likely the last of his kind and worth far more in the fire nation than a mere copper piece. As visions of fire nation gold swim in his mind, Zhao rises,

"Get him, bring him back here, and bring him to me alive!" coming to the same realization as the admiral, every man in Zhao's small two ship fleet ran after the boy.

* * *

><p>Aang was momentarily celebrating having escaped the admiral's goons, but hear a long rumbling behind him he looks back to see the whole of the landing force-including Zhao-running right at him. Panicking slightly Aang uses his air bending and dramatically picks up speed as he continues to flee. Aang runs helter-skelter along the beach trying to avoid the fire benders. Not looking where he's going Aang smashes into someone.<p>

Unfortunately that someone isn't much bigger than Aang so it's more collide-with-them-and-roll-around-dramatically-on- the-ground instead of a "smashing into someone." When the two stop moving Aang is sitting on top of the other person, another guy, and said guy is none too pleased.

"Get off of me you idiot!" he shouts pushing Aang off of him and standing. Now that he's upright Aang can see his menacing visage and flinches ever so slightly. The hate in this man is coming off of him in waves; angry, angry waves.

Feeling he's gone out of the frying pan and into the fire, Aang gets up to start running but the fire nation soldiers have caught up to him, and now he's stuck between Angry Jerk and an army. Bracing himself for a fight, Aang is surprised when Angry Jerk steps between him and the soldiers.

The admiral steps forward, and upon seeing the young man recognises him immediately by his scar.

"You there, Exile!" the admiral shouts pointing directly at the young man.

"I have a name," the young man says, not moving an inch.

"I don't care. By order of Prince Ozai, son of the late Fire lord Azulon, you are hereby ordered to cease and desist your actions this instant!"

"What actions? I'm standing, would you prefer I sit?"

"You will hand over that boy now or we will be to take him from you." The young man narrows his eyes and slowly, confidently, walks over forward until he's standing only about an inch from the admiral's face. He quickly looks over Zhao's shoulder and then back to his face. The Exile smirks at the ridiculous man and asks him sardonically, "You and what army?"

Surprised by the Exile's strange confidence Zhao looks behind him to see his forces retreating, just from looking at this man-this child! Though later he would never admit it, turning back to face the Exile, he felt the slightest twinge of fear.

And then he was staring into those golden eyes.

The anger...the hatred...the frustration...the pain...all of which were focused directly on Zhao. In that one instant, he knew the _true_ meaning of the word fear. Nearly petrified Zhao take a few jerky steps backward, and then turns and flees, safe in the knowledge that he can send word to his prince that he's found the perfect place to house society's rejects.

* * *

><p>'<em>That's right, run,' <em>Zuko thinks to himself, keeping his glare trained on the retreating figure of the man who dared to think he could tell him-Zuko the Exile-what to he could and couldn't do on his own island. _'Everybody runs from the monster.'_

"Wow...that was incredible. Did you see how fast they were going?"

'_Well, not everybody.' _There was still this kid he'd stuck his neck out for, who he'd now have to get rid of.

"Yeah, I was standing right here kid." Zuko said walking away, hoping that this odd boy would take a hint and get lost. He doesn't, of course.

"I mean all you did was look at them and they were gone, like that!" he says, snapping his fingers. He's keeping pace with Zuko, constantly a few steps behind him as he tries to get the kid to leave him alone. "How did you do that?"

'_Why don't you find out for yourself,'_ stopping and turning to face the boy he then attempts to stare him down. But the boy just looks up at him with his strange grey eyes. He's completely unfazed by Zuko's killer stare.

Frustrated, Zuko turns and starts walking once more, with the boy following behind. "Wow, that was pretty scary, can you see out of that one eye or are you blind?"

"Listen Kid-"

"Aang."

"What?"

"Aang, my name's Aang. What's yours?"

"That's not important, just get out of here. Didn't you hear what that guy called me?"

"What you mean Exile? Why should I care, according to the Admiral that Prince Ozai guy banished me, so I'm an exile too right?"

"Doesn't that bother you?" The boy shakes his head, "Really?"

"Really, really. You stood up for me, you probably saved my life."

"Oh,"

"What's your name?"

"...It's Zuko." He admits finally, thinking maybe he wasn't stupid for saving this kid.

"Hey Zuko, do you mind if I stay with you?"

"What?" Yep. He was stupid.

"Please? When I was with the Admiral, I heard some of the other men talking about a storm coming. I really don't want to be out here when it's storming." Zuko looks up at the sky, at the moment full of wispy white clouds, and then back to Aang's pleading eyes,

"I've lived here for almost five years, and I can tell you that it's not going to rain-I promise."

"Come on, please?"

"I said no already, go bug your friends."

"What friends? I'm stranded here with you on this stupid island!"

"Then figure out a way to get back to the main land, you're..." he trailed off, struggling to find a word that wouldn't be insulting, "...inventive?"

He could tell by the look on Aang's face that he wasn't buying it. At the end of his patience, Zuko turns and leaves.

Panicked, Aang calls out to him "Wait, Zuko, please! The truth is I don't have any friends. Everyone I knew or cared about died a long time ago. Please, I need your help."

Hearing Aang's plea Zuko was reminded of himself when he was younger, before his banishment, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. So he stops, and walks back to the boy.

"Alright you can stay with me, but only for one night."

Aang's spirits instantly lift, and feeling the joy welling up inside him he jumps a whopping ten feet in the air shouting "YAHOO!" Zuko is stunned. He had admittedly been curious as to why this seemingly simple-minded boy would be banished, but now it was blatantly obvious.

"You're an air bender?" asks Aang once he touches down again.

"Yeah, I thought it was obvious."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost"

"Is that it?"

"That's a tree." This had been going on for almost the entire walk back from the beach. Admittedly it was a bit of a walk to the old house, but it had never felt as long as it did today. Finally the two came to his home, nearly invisible in the growth of plants and trees, though massive as it was.

"Are we there now?" Aang asks, clearly exhausted.

"How can you be tired? We've only been walking for fifteen minutes."

"Yeah but I had to run full speed across the beach first, and you didn't answer my question,"

"Yes Aang, we're here." With that, the young air bender leaned back on his heels until he fell flat on his back.

"Walking sucks," Aang said from the ground. "I wish I still had my glider."

"Your what?"

"My glider, it's how I fly. Well, I used to fly, but then admiral Zhao broke it so I guess I'm grounded." Aang said laughing, Zuko wasn't so amused.

"Whatever, do you want to stay or not?"

"Okay!"

Quick as a flash Aang jumps up sprints into the house, leaving Zuko choking on a cloud of kicked up dust. Waving it away from his face Zuko follows Aang, worried the hyperactive little knucklehead might break something.

* * *

><p>Zuko finds Aang moments later, once again flat on his back. He's in the inner courtyard of the house which now looks like a small jungle. The old, dried fountain was cracked and had vines climbing over it, drinking from the rain water collected in the basin. Crab grass and other weeds were growing in the cracks in and empty spaces of the tiled floor. The latticed ceiling was now overgrown with hanging lilac vines, letting only patchy sunlight filter in.<p>

"You're house is amazing." Aang says watching the lilac flowers swaying in the breeze. "Where'd you get all that stuff anyway?"

Thinking it better than to ask how Aang managed to see his entire home in all of thirty seconds, Zuko leans over to look Aang in the eye.

"You'd be surprised how much stuff stays intact after it washes up on the beach after a tropical storm. The sun's setting, you planning on coming inside anytime soon?"

"No that's okay. If you're sure it's not going to rain, I think I'll stay here tonight."

"You want to stay outside. Here. The outside that's no different from the outside on the beach where I should have left you?"

I know, I know, but...this place reminds me of my old home. It's really peaceful. So can I stay?"

Zuko considers this for a moment. At least he'd be out of the way and he wouldn't be able to do much damage out here, hopefully. "Alright then, but that's it, you can't come inside."

"Fine,"

"And this is only for night!"

"I know. Night, Zuko." Aang says rolling his side giving Zuko his back. He's puzzled by Zuko, he seems so mean and nasty but also...kind. Giving it no more thought, Aang drifts off to sleep listening to Zuko's retreating foot steps.

* * *

><p><em>-Later that Night- <em>

Zuko is awakened from his light sleep by the sounds of something moving in the next room. Panicking momentarily, Zuko remembers that he has a "house guest", Aang.

He gets out of bed, mumbling to himself, and opens the door to his room and shouts down the hall, "I thought I told you to stay outside!"

"I am outside!" Aang shouts from the other end of the hall, the direction of the court yard. _'But if Aang's outside, who's in the other room? I thought I was alone'_

Now, more than a little wary, Zuko picks up an object sitting beside the door, a sheath containing twin broad swords. Taking the swords, he cautiously walks out into the hall-there's not one there. Transferring both swords to one hand, Zuko slowly reaches out for the door handle and viciously yanks the door open, on an empty room. Puzzled, Zuko walks inside and turns about, looking around the room. It's completely empty, with no furniture or places for anyone to hide, so what had made that sound he'd heard?

Again the shuffling sounds can be heard, but this time they seem to be coming from the ceiling. As the night sky was clear Zuko had been relying on the moonlight coming in through the window to see, now that did not seem like such a good idea as there was not enough light for him to see the low ceiling.

Holding his hand out flat, Zuko produces a small flame and the room is set a glow and a silhouette is revealed. There, in the far corner of the room, there is a strange dark shape. Walking towards it Zuko sees that it's somehow attached to one of the exposed ceiling beams, and its breathing! At the realization that there was a living, breathing, possibly dangerous creature in the room he stops and backs away slowly, but the floor creaks under Zuko's weight and with a screech the creature flies-FLIES!-at his face.

Caught off guard Zuko throws himself to the ground and the creature glides harmlessly over his prone body and out the door. Now angry at this strange creature Zuko jumps up and pursues it. Determined to catch the creature Zuko focuses solely on it and not on where he's going. Finally cornering it in near the front door, Zuko leaps and grabs the creature out of the air by its long, lemur-like tail. It lets out another shriek at having its tail pulled but then it just folds its little arms in and looks up at Zuko helplessly, swinging upside down.

_'What on Earth are you?'_ he thinks to himself and the creature's eyes seem to say the same thing. It's a small thing, a kind of cross between a lemur and a bat with huge ears. It doesn't seem dangerous or wild, just curious-if not more than a little stupid. It reminds Zuko of someone...

"Aang?" he calls for the boy turning to go and get him, accidentally walking into a wall; a large, breathing, feathery wall. Slowly Zuko looks up, and up, and up, until he's looking into the white face of a giant owl.

"Hello," The owl says, Zuko is too stunned to speak. "You wouldn't happen to have a book or two lying around would you?"

After a moment of stunned silence Zuko screams and stumbles backwards, falling out the door and landing face first on the ground. But the dirt meeting his face is not his biggest problem. Raising his head Zuko notices that the land right in front of his house is suddenly very bright, and noisy.

Clustered around his home are various campfires and tents, and among those a vast array of strange people and animals, all in varying shapes, sizes and colours all milling about like they had any right to be there. Getting to his feet, Zuko is both shocked and outraged. This was his home, it was bad enough having to deal with one annoying kid now suddenly a whole village worth of people were showing up at his door. Now was the time to draw the line in the sand. Taking a moment to center himself, he draws a deep breath and lets out a roar of outrage and breathes a steam of fire up into the air ten feet tall.

At the sight of the flames and the sheer volume of Zuko's roar, everyone freezes. Zuko faces the mob; a glare pasted on his face and asks,

"What do you think you're doing on _MY_ Island?"

* * *

><p>"Zuko, Zuko are you okay? I heard you shouting and, and...whoa!"<p>

Aang stops dead in his tracks, he'd known something was wrong when Zuko had woken him up and demanded he stay outside when he already was, but that roar...Aang thought the whole Fire Nation Navy was invading. He never suspected the large camp that had assembled in front of the house. As Aang is thinking these thoughts Zuko turns to face him.

If looks could kill... "Don't look at me, I didn't invite them."

"I don't care, I want to know what they're doing on my island. Period."

"Hey, it's not like we asked to be sent here."

Both Aang and Zuko look to the strange woman dressed in black with dark, heavy makeup.

"what?" they ask in unison.

"We were forced to come here."

"By who?" Zuko asks.

"Some guy calling himself Prince Ozai. He set bounties on anyone who didn't conform to his crazy standards, and locked up everyone that got caught by the bounty hunters. Then, he locked up the bounty hunters. Anyway about a week ago we all got carted onto the prison ships and the next thing you know, we're here."

"well go home!"

"Excuse me? Do you have a couple hundred boats we can borrow Captain Cranky, cause otherwise we aren't going anywhere. Besides, even if we do leave we'll just get caught and sent back here again."

Zuko seemed very frustrated, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. Aang couldn't understand this frustration though, the island wasn't exactly small- he'd seen most of it when he'd jumped earlier. There was plenty of roomfor everyone to live comfortably, so what had Zuko so mad?

* * *

><p>Zuko was at the end of his rope, Aang was one thing but this? This was too much,<p>

"Alright, attention all...just everybody pay attention! Do not get comfortable, I'm going to see this "Prince" and get you off my island and back wherever the hell you came from!"

Following Zuko's speech was absolute silence, and then...everyone was cheering and applauding, even Aang was joining in. Turning on the young airbender he points an accusatory finger at him, "You're coming with me!"

"Um...okay? So how do we get off the island?"

Zuko says nothing for a moment, thinking. He then turns on his heel and starts walking to the beach calling back over his shoulder for Aang to follow him. Aang does, leaving the outcasts to congregate in front of his house. Once on the beach Aang wonders what exactly Zuko has planned. "So, Zuko, do you actually have a boat?"

"Something like that." Zuko says walking into a sea cave, wary Aang follows him. The cave turns out to be more than it appears, inside it can be seen that the cave has no roof, but it open to the night sky allowing silvery moonlight to fill the cave. In the middle of the cave a large red hot air balloon is slowly inflating, Zuko already in the basket, working the controls.

"Whoa..." Aang says in shock and awe. "Where...where did this come from?"

"You'd be amazed at the things that wash up on the beach during a storm. Get in." the balloon now full Aang steps inside and the balloon slowly lifts into the sky. On the ground the outcasts watch the balloon rise out of the cave and into the sky with the rising sun, cheering on their would-be heroes. Aang and Zuko fly into the sunrise towards the Fire Nation Capitol.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_-Fire Nation- _

Prince Ozai stalked authoritatively to the interrogation cell in the Capitol Prison. Weeks on interrogating the misfits that had been rounded up and still, nothing! Now there was only one left, the rest of the useless filth had been carted off and shipped where no one would have to look at them ever again. If this child didn't give him answers, he would be out of leads.

He would have to make sure she had something interesting to tell him then...

Entering the room he saw the pink clad girl struggling with her chains, it almost made him laugh. The child wasn't specifically strong, and without the use of her hands she was useless-just another Circus Freak.

"Comfortable? We offer our "guests" only the finest here." It gave him great satisfaction, taunting the girl.

"You're a monster!" she screams pulling at her chains again.

"I'm not the monster; you and the rest of those freaks are the monsters, poisoning the world, making it unclean. You should be grateful I didn't just execute you on sight, but I need something from you and I know you know what I'm talking about,"

The girl flinched, confirming his suspicions, it did exist. "Tell me!"

"Never!" she says and then spits on his feet, a gesture of great disrespect in any nation. But Ozai appears not to notice this; he simply walks closer to her with a small, dark smile on his face.

"Fine have it your way," he says calmly. He reaches out and wraps his hand around her closed fist. "I've been told you have quite the talented hands. You managed to disable more than a few of my fire benders getting here. Now, wouldn't it just be a shame, to lose such talented hands?"

As he says this the girl's hand grows increasingly hotter, looking up she sees that the Prince's hand is starting to glow a fiery orange from within his closed fist. He intends to sacrifice both of their hands for the information he seeks.

As the flames grow hotter and hotter the girl secedes as the skin on her hand starts to burn and blister. "Stop! Stop! I'll tell you!"

Ozai draws his hand away and the pain begins to fade.

"Tell me." He says, still in the same calm, cold tone.

"Do you know...The Cabbage Guy?"

"You must be joking,"

"No I'm serious!" Before she can go on a man bursts into the room, "My Prince, we've found it!"

His smile widening with sinister glee he turns his attention to the soldier at the door. "Bring it here."

Leaving momentarily, he and another man return carrying something covered in a sheet. Setting it down they draw the sheet off to reveal a large gilded mirror. After waiting a moment, a man appears in the mirror's surface that is not in the room. He is short, balding, a little chubby, but he has a soft kindness to his eyes that reminds one of a kindly grandfather.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, is this not the fairest kingdom of them all?"

"It might be, if you were a king," the mirror says looking around at the grimy room.

"Mai," The Prince says gesturing over his shoulder to a young woman with a kind of blank look on her face. She then precedes to launch a small dagger. The dagger sails through the air and lodges itself in the bricks and mortar just to the right of the Mirrorman's mirror causing him to jump in his frame. "You were saying?"

"I mean, Yes! It is lovely, and it will be even more so once you are crowned Fire Lord. All you need to ascend your thrown is to marry a Princess of noble birth and the world will be yours."

"A princess...yes. Where can I find such a princess?"

"There are three such princesses, you must only choose one." The Mirrorman disappears and the image of a young woman with blue eyes and silver hair appears. "The first princess is Princess Yue, of the Northern Water Tribe. Said to have been blessed by the moon spirit at her birth, the princess is kind, gentle, and graceful as a rolling wave."

Ozai considers the image of the girl for a moment, then turns saying, "And the other two?"

Appearing momentarily to scowl at Ozai's back, the Mirrorman reveals the image of the second princess, this one with jet black hair and cruel golden eyes. "There is also Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. A gifted fire bender, it is said that the princess is a ruthless fighter with deadly precision and accuracy...I believe she is also your cousin."

"You dare insult me this way?"

"Hey, you asked about the princesses and I'm just telling you. _You_ asked me for _my_ help! Now would you kindly relax, there is only one more princess," with that, the Mirrorman reveals the image of the third princess.

Unlike the other princesses, she is dressed plainly in a dress of blue timed with white fur and slit up the side to reveal dark blue leggings and knee high boots. She has wild, curly, ebony hair, soft mocha coloured skin and piercing blue eyes. She is smiling ever so slightly and looking straight ahead, from the other side of the mirror it looks like she's looking directly at Ozai.

Entranced Ozai walks up to the mirror and runs his hand across the glass as if to caress the girl's face. Transfixed by her image Ozai whispers, "who is she?"

"This is Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," Mirrorman says, you can almost hear the smug smile in his voice. "Little is known about her, for when she was a child she was sent away from the South Pole for her own protection. She can now be found in a tower in the vast Earth Kingdom desert, guarded by a monstrous beast. All who have faced it have perished; the princess is still waiting for her true love rescue her...Prince?"

"She's perfect," the prince says turning to the men who brought the mirror in.

"Uh...Prince Ozai, there's one other thing you should know, every night after the sun sets-"

"Silence! Princess Katara will be my bride, and I will have my crown. Men round up the troops. We're going to have a little tournament."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_-Fire Nation: Dawn- _

As soon as they had gotten in the air Aang had wanted to fly the balloon, and tired from the stress of the day's events Zuko had agreed. After a long, hard night of unsteady flying and near misses Aang and Zuko have finally reached the Fire Nation Capitol, a city situated in a giant volcanic crater. Bringing the balloon down lower Aang points to a large building surrounded by its own man-made walls.

"That there, that's Ozai's Palace!"

"Well its big enough alright, maybe Ozai's compensating for something?" Zuko says, allowing himself a small laugh at his own joke. Aang however is not amused, "You don't even get that joke do you?"

"No, I don't. What does it mean anyway?"

"Nothing you'll ever have to worry about," he says turning his back on Aang thinking to himself _'Monks,'_ when he notices Aang has steered the balloon away from the palace and they're heading back to the outer walls of the crater. "Hey, what do you think you're doing? The palace is back that way!"

"Uh...there was nowhere to land in the city; the buildings are too close together." Aang shouts back to him, trying not to meet Zuko's eyes, but he can tell Aang's lying.

"What about the palace courtyard? There was plenty of room there!"Knowing he's been caught in a lie Aang brings the balloon down for a landing. Left alone with the Exile, Aang blurts out his reasoning for not going directly to the Fire Nation Palace;

"Look, I know you want to hurry and get back to the island, but you didn't see how Admiral Zhao reacted when he found out I was an airbender. It was like he'd won some Fire Nation lottery, and I'm pretty sure if anyone else here realizes what I am it'll be just like that. Zhao didn't know what I was until I started airbending. Flying in on a hot air balloon with "The Exile" isn't exactly subtle. I'm in no hurry to die today so as far as anyone's going to know I'm just a kid with tattoos."

Aang hangs his head, waiting for Zuko to start yelling at him, but instead hears only a simple: "okay."

Aang's head snaps up, "You're not mad?"

"Not really, I can understand the whole not wanting to die thing. Besides, it's only dawn now, no one will be awake for another few hours, so we've got plenty of time to get back up to the city."

"Oh, well I guess we better get going then. By the way, how are we going to get up there without flying?"

"We walk." Zuko says pointing out a worn zigzagging road a few feet away leading to an entrance into the city. The beginning of the road is marked by a tower with a lone guard sitting half asleep at its base.

"Hey, you!" Zuko calls, waking up the guard who-upon seeing Zuko stalking towards him-proceeds to scream and run into the tower, locking the door behind him. Though the tower is locked down Aang and Zuko can still hear the guard screaming as he climbs a spiralling staircase, judging by the way the screaming fades and grows in a steady pattern.

"Zuko what did you say you were banished for again?" Aang asks while gazing at the tower with a puzzled expression.

"I didn't. Let's go, that guy will probably be all day climbing those stairs and we've got a lot of walking to do."

Aang tears his gaze away from the tower to see that Zuko's already started along the road to the city-a very, very, very long road. Aang quickly catches up to him but the two stop momentarily at the sound of metal hitting metal and a loud groan.

"Well, guess I was wrong."

"What was that?"

"The end of our issues with that guard, or the sound of the guard forgetting about a second closed door at the top of that staircase, now come on we're wasting daylight."

* * *

><p>The sun was high in the sky by the time they finally reached the city, only to find it looking completely deserted. Though it was well past mid-day the streets were devoid of people, it was as silent as the grave, if not a little bit eerie.<p>

"Where is everybody?" Zuko asks looking aound.

"I'm not sure...but look!" Aang points to a small kiosk with a shuttered window and a small sign reading _"Knock for Information"_

"Aang wait, I don't think you should touch that." Zuko says following Aang to the kiosk, but before he can stop him Aang knocks on the window sill. The two jump back as the spring loaded shutters fly open to reveal two elderly identical looking women, both in heavy burgundy robes.

"Welcome to Caldera City kids." The two say in perfect unison. "While in the city there are some rules you should observe; don't make waves, stay in line, and everything will be fine. Caldera City is a perfect place, please enjoy your stay."

Finishing their speech one of the women shoves a flier into Zuko's hand and then of their own volition the window shutters snap closed again. The pair stand there, frozen in stunned silence.

"So...what's it say?"

"'_When in doubt...CONFORM!_'"

"Well...that's not very informative. Maybe we should try asking them again?"

"No! I mean, no. Look, there's something on the other side of this flier. There's some kind of tournament today, something about the Prince choosing a champion."

"Hey that's good, we should be able to see him if he's making a public appearance at that tournament. When is it?"

On that note, a trumpeting call of fanfare sounds from the royal palace.

"Today,"

* * *

><p>As the pair walk into the palace courtyard they are stunned by the sheer volume of people packed into the covered walkways the improvised arena. The six combatants were lined up in front of a staircase at the top of which was the very man they were looking for-Prince Ozai, who appeared to be addressing the crowd.<p>

"Brave men, you are the best and brightest in all the land. Today one of you shall prove himself. That champion shall have the honour-no, no-the privilege to go forth and rescue the Princess Katara from the deadly keep of the dragon. If for any reason the winner is...unsuccessful, the first runner up will take his place and so on and so forth. Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Unable to stomach more of Ozai's crap Zuko unsheathes his swords and walks toward the line of prospective champions.

"Well aren't you just the kindest king of the God damn castle!"

"Startled, all eyes turn to the bold newcomer who would dare speak out against the Prince. (Aang, not liking all the sudden attention slips into the crowd) Even the combatants being physically stronger and some better armed than him all back away as Zuko approaches.

Rising, Ozai holds out his hand signalling for Zuko to stop, which he warily does, "You there, Exile! How dare you come to this city, my very home? You were banished never to return, and for good reason, why have you returned now?"

"I have business with you Ozai!" Zuko says, punctuating this statement by pointing at Ozai with one of his swords.

"Such insolence! Men, the first of you to kill the Exile will be named Champion." The looks on the men's faces shifted from shock and awe to greed and blood lust as they advance towards him.

"I've heard you have a reputation for being a cold-hearted killer, lets see if you live up to the hype."

"I've got news for you Ozai. I don't give a damn about my bad reputation!"

* * *

><p>Watching Zuko fight-from a safe distance of course-Aang had to say he was pretty impressed. Outnumbered and out gunned Zuko still wasn't down, even after defeating five of the "potential champions." The one with the oversized mace was giving him some trouble though, the thing was as thick as a tree trunk and no steel could cut through that. So Zuko had resorted to ducking and weaving to keep his skull intact.<p>

"Aang, I could use some help here!"

"Me? What's one little kid supposed to do?"

"Oh would you knock it off already, now is not the time for-AH!"

Having let his guard down to reprimand Aang, Zuko's opponent manages to land a solid blow to his ribs and flings Zuko back and he lands with the dull thud of...dead weight.

"ZUKO!"

Not missing a beat, Zuko jumps up and channelling his fire bending through his swords and whirls around becoming a fiery pinwheel of death!

His opponent goes down like a ton of bricks. A hush falls over the crowd and they erupt with thunderous applause. Beating six-to-one odds Zuko has emerged victorious!

The cheering stops when the guards keeping an eye on the spectators turn and encircle Zuko each poised and ready to barbeque him should he attempt to flee.

Ozai stands and Aang is sure he's going to bring the hammer down on Zuko. He covers his eyes so he won't have to watch as his one-and only-friend is killed when,

"People of Caldera, I give you our Champion!"

"What?" Zuko and Aang cry in shocked unison.

* * *

><p>Zuko is stunned by what he hears; he didn't come to become the people's champion he came to get his home back! But considering the circumstances, namely all the guards surrounding him, it could be worse.<p>

"Congratulations Exile, you have won the honour of embarking on a great and noble quest." Ozai says coming to stand in front of Zuko. With a wave of his hand he orders the guards to stand down and they back away from Zuko.

"Quest, I didn't come here for a quest. I came here to get my island back!"

"Your island?"

"Yes, my island. Where your goons dumped all those rejects of yours."

"I see...very well Exile-I mean 'Champion'- if you go on this quest for me, I will return to you your island."

"Exactly the way it was?" Zuko asks cautiously, wary of the suddenly gracious Prince.

"Down to the last algae covered rock."

"And your squatters?"

"As good as gone."

Zuko considers this for a moment, though he has no inclination to go "questing" for the Prince he did want his home back. And with an army of more experienced and professionally trained firebenders at The Prince's disposal, did Zuko really stand a chance trying to get his home back by force?

"...What kind of quest?"

* * *

><p>"Zuko, Zuko can you slow down a bit I can't keep up with you."<p>

"I'm not talking to you."

"Oh come on I said I was sorry!"

Zuko said nothing; it had been like this since they had left the palace. Aang knew why, he just couldn't figure out what to say so that Zuko would forgive him. It wasn't like he meant to abandon Zuko; Aang just didn't know how he could have helped him without blowing his cover. They were almost back to where they had left the balloon and Zuko still wouldn't talk to him.

"Can you just answer me this, when we first walked into the arena why didn't you just give Ozai that same treatment you did Admiral Zhao, you know stare him down until he gave in?"

"I'm not just a guy with a scary face. For your information, there's more to me than people see okay?" Zuko kept walking away as he said this, but he _was_ talking to Aang again, so it was a start.

"Can you give me an example?"

"An example of what,"

"Of how you're different than what people see,"

"Oh, okay I'm….I'm like an onion."

"They stink?"

"Yes- -No!"

"They make people cry?"

"No!"

"Oh wait I got it, they're bitter!"

"NO! Layers, onions have layers. I have layers, you get it? We both have layers!"

"Oh you both have layers…what does that mean exactly?"

"It means I'm complicated, now stop wasting time. It's a long way to the Si Wong Desert."

Alright, alright, you want to drive or should I?"

"You barely got us here, I'll fly the balloon. Besides we don't have time for flying lessons, we need to get going!"

"I didn't mean now, it's going to take us at least a month to get to the desert,-even flying-and then who knows how long it'll take us to get to the Dragon's Keep, the desert is uncharted territory. There's plenty of time for me to learn,"

"You always but an upbeat spin on everything don't you?"

"Pretty much," accepting defeat, Zuko climbs into the balloon and the two take off, on what would be the longest trip of Zuko's life.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_-Day 6: Over the Ocean- _

"I'll admit, you're getting pretty good at flying." Zuko says from the back of the balloon.

"Thanks, it's nice that you let me fly the balloon so long I think I'm finally getting the hang of..."

_'It was that, or try sleeping through the rest of this trip.'_ Zuko thought, trying now to block out the sound of the Aang's voice. This kid just did not shut up; he was constantly chattering away-he even talked in his sleep. Unable to take much more Zuko finally agreed to give Aang some flying lessons, hoping that if he gave him what he wanted he'd finally stop talking.

"Hey how about we play a game?" As of yet, Aang still hadn't stopped talking.

"Fine, how about we play 'Silent as the Grave' first person to talk loses. Ready-set-go!"

"..."

_'Finally, sweet silence!' _

"Zuko you didn't play much as a kid did you?" '_Crap.' _"How about this, I'll look for something and you guess what it is okay?"

"Will you be quiet while I'm guessing?"

"Yeah, sure," _'beggars can't be choosers.'_

"Alright then,"

"Awesome, okay I spy something...white!"

Looking quickly around him Zuko see's nothing but water sky all around them, "Is it the clouds?" he asks monotonously, knowing that that's the only possible answer.

"You got it. I spy with my little eye something...red!"

"It's me."

"You're pretty good at this game Zuko." _'Oh it's going to be a long, long, long trip.'_

* * *

><p><em>-Day 18: Over the Foggy Swamp- <em>

"I spy with my little eye something...green."

"The trees,"

"I spy with my little eye something...grey."

"The fog,"

"I spy with my little eye something...orange."

"It's you, Aang will you let it go already it's been weeks."

"I spy something cranky and irritable."

"...it's me."

* * *

><p><em>-Day 32: Deep in the Si Wong Desert- <em>

"I spy something brown."

"The sand."

"I spy with my little eye something...blue."

"The sky,"

"I spy-"

"Aang I'm going to drop out of the balloon and this time it won't be an accident."

"Alright I'll stop."

"Good, now start looking. A huge decaying castle sitting in a canyon can't be that hard to find."

* * *

><p><em>-Day 33:?- <em>

"I spy something gold."

"Aang what did I say? Get up here so I can push you off."

"No Zuko look, I found it, the castle!" Looking in the direction Aang points Zuko cannot believe his eyes. There, a mere ten feet away, sitting in the middle of a vast canyon was the Dragon's Keep, sitting in a pillar of rock.

"Finally, let's go!" Zuko says giving the balloon some more gas...but the balloon does not go any higher, in fact it seems to be falling. Fast. Examining the burners Zuko can find nothing wrong and as they start to pick up speed he realizes what's happening.

"Zuko what's going on?" Aang screams over the rushing wind.

"It's the heat! The burner isn't strong enough, the air outside the balloon is just as hot as the air inside." he shouts over the rushing wind.

"We're going to die!" As they continue to fall Zuko decides to make a last ditch attempt to save themselves. He turns off the burner and climbs on top of it, shooting a column of fire up into the balloon. Luckily it seems to be just enough as the balloon slows down. Zuko manages to keep the fire going, but it'll only be enough for a crash landing.

Unable to stop completely the balloon crashes into the soft sand causing it to skid to a sudden stop and send up a large dust cloud. As well it sends Zuko flying off of it, into the sand.

"Zuko, Zuko are you okay?" Aang shouts, looking for Zuko.

"Super." Zuko says sarcastically while brushing sand from his clothes. "How close did we land to the Keep?"

"Um...I think we actually landed farther away."

"Perfect, let's wait until nightfall and then head for the Castle; it'll be easier flying then."

"We should probably walk. We might need all the extra fuel we can spare just to get out of here once we rescue the princess,"

"...Fine, we'll walk."

And so they settle in to sleep the day away in the shade of the basket, waiting for night to fall when they can descend on the dragons keep, rescue the fair princess, and Zuko can get his life back.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello few but hopefully devoted readers, I've got some news that might interest you. My Youtube Alter Ego "TheShockaholic" has posted a trailer/sneak preview video for Zhrek. Any of you interested in it just google "TheShockaholic" and you'll find it, it's not too hard the Zhrek video's my only one. Anyways I'm hoping the video will generate some more interest in Zhrek so email your friends, tell you neightbours distant family members, I'm excepting all takers! **

**And of course don't be afraid to comment on anything you read; good or bad I will always read and respond to any and all comments :) **

**And I own NOTHING! Shrek is property of Dreamworks, Avatar is property of Nickelodeon, and direct quotes from the film come from the Shrek Script at (Internet Movie Script ) **

**Enjoy! ;P **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6<span>

_-Dawn- _

"The sun's rising Zuko, how much farther?"

"Aang, we're right here, all we have to do now is get Ozai's princess and get out." The two had been walking since the sun had dipped low in the sky and the blistering sand had turned cool being deprived of the sun's heat. They had finally reached the gorge where the Dragon's keep rested, and as they continued to draw closer Zuko noticed that it was getting increasingly warmer the closer they got.

Puzzled, Zuko went ahead to investigate, "Aang when you saw the castle you forgot to mention the boiling lake of lava surrounding it!"

"What-I thought you knew you saw it as clear as I did!"

"Yeah, for all of three seconds before we started plummeting to our doom, look we can get across that way," Zuko points farther down the edge of the gorge where a rope bridge had been built across it leading to the Dragon's keep. It was a rickety looking rope bridge, but it was whole and that was all that was good enough for Zuko.

"Let's go."

"Um Zuko, remember what you said before about you having layers?"

Yes,"

"Well I don't have layers, I wear my heart-and my fear- on my sleeve."

"But you don't have sleeves." Zuko replies drolly stepping onto the bridge.

"You know what I mean."

"Aang you're an air-bender, you can't seriously be telling me that you're afraid of heights?"

"Hey normally I have my glider to help me fly when I'm air-bending. Besides, it's not so much heights as it is falling to a quick and painful death."

"Oh come on," Zuko grabs Aang by the arm and drags him in front of him on the bridge. "Just take it one step at a time, and whatever you do-don't look down."

"Okay, okay," moving at a snail's pace Aang starts walking across the bridge, Zuko right behind him, all the while Aang's muttering to himself "don't look down."

It seems to be working when one of the boards underneath Aang's feet gives way and his legs slips through the space causing him to land face down on the bridge...and starring directly at the lava below.

Righting himself Aang turns to go back across the bridge only to find Zuko blocking his path.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asks angrily.

"Back,"

"Oh no, you're either going across or over the side, your choice."

"Come on Zuko!"

"Hey, you could have gone back to wherever you came from but you didn't, so now you're stuck with me. Now get your ass across this bridge or I'll throw you over the edge!"

He'd do it too; Aang could see it in his eyes. So, mustering up all his courage Aang squeezes his eyes shut and takes off like a shot. Zuko watches as Aang runs blindly-screaming all the way-right across the bridge...and slams into a rock. He winces as Aang groans and falls back onto the ground curling up in the fetul position.

'_We're going to frickin' die in this castle, I just know it.'_ Zuko thought as he went to make sure Aang hadn't hurt himself too badly.

"Aang, are you okay?" he asks, nudging Aang with the toe of his boot.

"Yeah," Aang answers weakly after a moment.

"You going to be able to keep going?"

"Yeah, I just need to get up and I'll be fine." Aang slowly gets to his knees and begins to rise, but before he can Zuko grabs him by his collar and stands him straight up, sending a jolt of pain down his spine.

"Can we go now?"

"Sure," Aang says in a high pitched voice, then clearing his throat he answers normally, "Sure."

* * *

><p><em>-Inside the Castle- <em>

Though seemingly intact on the outside, the castle's interior was...less than welcoming. Everything is crumbling or decaying and covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. Along with this cheery decor, the castle's main hall is littered with skeletons each in different armour from the various nations. Each poor soul appears to have been crushed in some way, and by something very large...and very, very heavy. All of which is having a bad effect on Aang,

"Hey Zuko, are you afraid?"

"No."

"But..."

"Sh."

"How can you not be scared? There's a reason they call this Dragon's keep, what if a dragon is what killed all these people, and it could come after us next. We could really die here, and I don't want to die-I'm too young to be eaten!" Zuko throws his hand over Aang's mouth.

"Aang, two things okay? One please shut up! And two, dragons are the noblest and rarest creatures in the world, I'm sure they have better things to do than guard some silly princess. If it makes you feel any better dragons only live in the Fire Nation archipelago, not the Earth Kingdom desert okay? Now go look for some stairs," releasing Aang's mouth Zuko goes over and inspects one of the skeletons wearing fire nation armour. Thinking it might be useful Zuko takes the helmet off, causing the rest of the skeleton-and all the fabric parts of the armour to disintegrate.

"Stairs? Shouldn't we figure out where the princess is first?"

"The princess will be up the stairs in the highest room of the tallest tower, now get looking." Placing the helmet on his own head, Zuko rummages through the pile of metal and bone dust for something else salvageable.

"How'd you know that?"

"I read it in a book once."

"Okay...wait, what are you going to do while I'm looking for stairs?"

"I am going to figure which one of these towers is the tallest, now go find some stairs."

"But..."

"Just GO!"

* * *

><p>Going off on his own, Aang soon finds himself in a crumbling hallway and at the end of this hall lays a large, ornate looking staircase. Excited that he's found what he needs Aang runs to them only to see that they only go up about five steps before they disappear leaving a large black void between them and the back wall.<p>

Feeling rather put out, Aang sits down to contemplate his situation.

In the distance something crashes to the ground out where he came from causing Aang to jump, once again on edge about the Dragon despite what Zuko said.

"Okay Aang, there's nothing to be scared of. It was probably Zuko messing around with the armour like before," he says trying to calm himself down. "That's what it is, besides there couldn't possibly be a dragon here-Zuko said they only live in the fire nation."

Content with his explanation, Aang gets up to leave when from behind him he hears a deep rumbling. Petrified, Aang slowly turns around and comes face to face with a big, yellow eye.

* * *

><p>Putting the face shield on, Zuko is now outfitted head to toe in Fire nation armour. This is in no way to protect himself from Aang's "dragon", it's for the princess. Zuko knows what he looks like, and he also knows that any woman would run in the other direction if they saw him coming. He also knows there's no way to get his island back without the princess, so for the sake of his home Zuko desecrated a man's corpse, and donned his armour so he could haul the girl back to Caldera and get on with his life.<p>

Making some final adjustments, Zuko walks through what was once a wall, exiting the castle and looks around. There, in the very far right corner of the castle, is the single intact remaining tower that appears to touch the clouds themselves.

"Well now I know where the princess is, all that's missing is the..."

"DRAGON!" the scream erupts deep from within the castle, followed by a terrifying howl.

Imagining what monstrous creature Aang's managed to disturb thinking it was a dragon, Zuko rushes to Aang's rescue. It's not hard to find the little knuckle-head as he's constantly screaming at the top of his lungs, and when he finally reaches Aang, Zuko finds him cowering before a hulking creature with large horns, six legs and a thick flat tail. This was no dragon...but what the hell was it?

Just the creature leans in to supposedly devour Aang Zuko shoots a fireball at the it's head, getting its attention.

"Hey over here, look over here you stupid...thing!"

"Who are you?" Aang shouts, finally noticing Zuko motioning frantically to get the dragon's attention.

"What? Aang it's me, it's Zuko!" Momentarily caught off guard the creature whips its mighty tail and flings Zuko into the air...straight through the roof of the tallest tower, where upon hitting the stone floor, he falls unconscious.

* * *

><p>"What? Aang it's me, it's Zuko!"<p>

Aang cringes as he watches Zuko get thrown through the air by the monster, but knows to get moving before it directs its attention back at him. As quickly as he can Aang runs to a long bridge that connects the two halves of the castle, but just as he reaches the halfway point the monster appears from nowhere and smashes the rest of the bridge nearly missing Aang. He tries to turn back but it destroys that portion of the bridge as well.

Now it's just Aang and the monster.

Trapped on an island of stone, Aang cowers as he faces the dragon. It slowly closes in for the kill and in a moment of hysteria Aang utters the one thing that probably should have gotten him killed,

"My w-what large t-t-teeth you have," the monster snarls in indignation. "No I mean what big, shiny, w-white teeth. But you probably get that all the time from your food."

expecting instant pain Aang covers his face with his arms ducking his head, and as he does so he notices something...two something's actually. The first, that this thing could fly, and the second that there was something jabbed into one of it's huge paws. Seeing that the creature has made no move towards him and was now regarding him curiously he lowers his arms and tentatively moves towards the thing's paw, whispering reassuringly.

As he pulls object, a buzzard-wasp stinger, from it's paw the creature gives a mighty howl, strong enough to knock Aang off his feet. Flat on his back the creature moves over him once more. Thinking that_ now_ would be the moment that he dies Aang watches in terror as the beast leans in...only to lick his face. Shocked Aang looks up to see the beast panting happily, and laughs as it continues to lick him.

"Well, this has been fun but I really should check on my friend. You know that guy you...swatted." he says getting to his feet and petting the beast's nose. Using his air bending Aang leaps gracefully from his island back to the castle, which is a lot closer than it appeared when he was fearing for his life. As he moves to help his friend the beast flys over, landing in his path.

Suddenly, Aang didn't like the "friendly" attitude towards him anymore. "I know you want me to stay but...really, I shouldn't. ZUKO!"

As Aang turns his back the beast picks Aang up by the back of his robe and lumbers into the castle, away from where it had flung Zuko. Aang tries to break free, but hanging by the waist of his pants doesn't leave him with many options...


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello to all my Lovely readers.**

**I'm sorry this chapter took so long, I've actually had it done for a while but couldn't remember to upload it. Next time I promise a double chapter update-it may take a while but it will be worth it. And the good news is that I haven't forgotten about the story, Zhrek has NOT been discontinued, and I'm not dead (yay!)**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 7<span>

Slowly coming awake Zuko first notices his entire body is in excruciating pain. Flying through the air and landing full force through a roof can do that to you. Even his teeth hurt, but pain was good, pain meant he hadn't been injured too badly. He raised himself to his elbows and nothing seemed broken, same result as he got to his feet, though he was a little light –headed. Then again the light-headedness probably explained the sight that was before him now.

Sunlight was coming in through the hole in the ceiling where Zuko crashed through it, and that light was shining on a wrought iron four poster bed hidden under a gauzy white canopy. And lying on that bed, looking like the proverbial angel was a girl-the princess. As Zuko slowly approaches he gets a better look at her, she has pale brown skin and chocolate brown hair pulled back harshly from her face making her appear ever child-like...

'_I must have hit my head harder than I thought._' He thinks to himself, wondering where that train of thought had come from.

What really bothers Zuko though, is that through all the commotion she seems to have been completely unaffected. Thinking about how long she's probably been stuck in here alone, Zuko fears that she might in fact be dead. Leaning in close he listens for any signs of life, but with his helmet on all he can hear is the sound of his own heart beat and breath. Suddenly very afraid he takes the helmet's face plate off and leans even closer.

Thankfully he hears her breathing as well as something else...looking down he sees that the princess' lips are slightly pursed. The cheeky little princess was only pretending to be asleep to try and get him to kiss her. Leaning back he replaces his faceplate and gently grabbing the princess be the shoulders, gives her a good rough shake.

"Hey, hey, cut that out!" she says grabbing Zuko's wrists and roughly removing his hands from her shoulders. "WHAT!"

"Are you Princess Katara?"

"I am, awaiting a knight so bold as to rescue me_." _

'_Great, I must have shaken her too hard,' _"That's nice, now come on we've got to get out of here."

"Hey-wait, sir this be-ith our first meeting. Should it not be a wonderful and romantic moment?"

"…Seriously? We don't have time for that, we're leaving now!" Zuko walks across the room and begins inspecting the door, searching for some kind of handle or lock.

"You're wasting your time, there's no way out that door's mostly for show," Katara says coming up behind him.

"I can see that, that's why I'm going to break it down."

"Hey wait, you're supposed to sweep me off my feet out the window and down a rope to your valiant steed."

"You've had a lot of time to plan this haven't you?"

"…Yes."

"Okay step back," as soon as Katara gives him some space, with a single blow Zuko kicks the door almost off its hinges. In the center of the door there is now a smoking, black scorch mark.

" Impressive,"

"Yeah, the fire-bending helps, now let's go." Grabbing the princess' wrist Zuko drags her behind him taking the stairs two at a time. Surprisingly the princess manages to keep up.

"Do I at least get to know the name of my rescuer?" she asks indignantly.

"Zuko."

"Sir Zuko,"

"It's just Zuko, I'm not a knight."

"Alright then _Just-Zuko_," As Zuko turns to tell the princess off the stairs beneath them begin to shake and the two of them fall to the ground.

"You didn't slay the beast?" The princess yells indignantly.

"It's on my To-Do list; right after _Save the Cranky Princess_ so let's go!" grabbing the princess Zuko runs down into the castle towards the source of the thunderous shaking.

"But wait this isn't right!" the princess whines, "You're supposed to charge in swords drawn, banner flying; that's what all the knights did!"

"Yeah, right before they were pounded into a slimy paste." Once again in the grand foyer, Zuko releases the princess and heads to where he last saw the dragon.

"Wait the exit's over that way, where are you going?"

"I have to pick something else up before we go."

"Ah! What kind of knight are you?"

"One of a kind."

* * *

><p>His exit being blocked by the beast's ulking frame, Aang has no choice but to sit back and "enjoy" its attention. Things could be worse though; he could have been smushed to death, instead of sitting on a bunch of silk rugs on top of a mountain of gold and jewels.<p>

"Uh, you know," Aang says backing away, "I believe it's…healthy to get to know someone, for a very very very long time, before they get in a relationship, don't you?"

In response the beast grunts and continues to lick Aangs head like an ice cream cone,

"I mean, call me old fashioned but I just don't think I'm ready for that kind of commitment, living together, you know?"

Ignoring him the beast continues its minstrations, holding Aaang tihgter between its front legs. Sighing Aang looks around the room and spots something. It's Zuko, climbing along the remains of a balcony towards a large winch holding a chandelier up above them all.

In his head Aang wishes Zuko Godspeed as he continues to inch closer and closer.

* * *

><p>Closer and closer Zuko inches towards the winch, he has to get there without being noticed or else go flying once more, but he has no intention of leaving Aang. Slowly but sure footedly Zuko continues on all the while listening to Aang sits in the cluthes of the beast.<p>

down below Aang tries to slip out of the beast's grasp but it simply grabs him again, letting out a loud howl causing the whole castle to tremble and Zuko looses his footing and begins to fall. But as the castle shook, the old chain in the winch snapped and the end of it swung into Zuko's path. In a last ditch attempt to save himself Zuko grabs onto it, but his weight is too much and the chain begins to unwind sending Zuko right over the beast's head.

With a mighty heave Zuko pulls himself up just in the nick of time and sails silently over the beast's head. As he swings back he can see that the beast fly up a few feet, plucking a piece of fruit from a nearby shelf. If this thing could really fly then a chandelier collar wouldn't really work. Thinking to bail out he proceeds to climb the chain, but the winch creaks and slowly gives way, causing the chain to jerk.

_'Oh crap,'_ he thinks as the winch breaks apart and Zuko begins to fall to his inevitable doom.

* * *

><p>"What was that?" Aang asks aloud, not expecting any answer, but the beasts seems to have noticed it too and looks around.<p>

As Aang says this, something comes crashing down from above, landing right between Aang and the beast on the old rugs sending up a large dust cloud. The chandelier comes crashing down as well, encircling the beasts neck. As the dust clears it turns out that the 'thing' is actually a man in fire nation armor.

"Zuko!" Aang exclaims in horror, now that the beasr has seen him all hell was sure to break loose. Aang watches silently as the look on the creature's face transforms from shock to anger, and it starts moving forward, snarling and growling.

Raising himself up on his elbows Zuko is greeted by the same awful sight.

"Aang, I think it's time to go. Come on!" leaping to his feet Zuko grabs Aang and the drags him out of there.

"Sorry, hate to run but he's my ride!" he calls back.

"You're sorry? Maybe I should have just left you behind then, this is no time for sorry." The two of them speed through the halls back to where Zuko left the princess and still going full speed, Zuko scoops her up and throws her over his shoulder and continues running.

"You found the princess!" Aang says happily.

"You found an air nomad?" asks the princess.

"Yeah, the real trick is getting him to leave me alone!" they continue running and for a moment it seems that they've lost the beast, but that is short lived as it crashes through a wall not far behind them. Looking around wildly for some way to stop it, Zuko happens to glance up and see that the castle housed a wrought iron gate above the entrance. With an adrenaline fueled burst of speed Zuko runs to the entrance hall and sets Katara down.

"Aang take Katara and get out of here," he says shoving the two towards the door.

"Zuko what're you doing?"

"Taking care of the Beast." Thinking it better than to question him, Aang takes Katara's hand and leads her towards the door.

Turning back to the task at hand Zuko frantically searches for whatever's still holding the gate up, and thankfully its rope and not a chain like a chandelier. Quickly taking aim Zuko shoots a fireball at the rope and it slowly begins to burn, he can only hope that he's timed this correctly.

Wasting no more time Zuko goes and catches up with Aang and the princess, the beast close behind. As the reach the bridge to safety, time seems to slow down and everything is happening at once; as the guys are crossing the bridge, their combined weight is too much and the bridge breaks in half. Luckily the three of them are on the other side already and manage to hang on as the bridge falls apart.

Just as the beast is ready to fly after him, those extra moments Zuko took pay off. The slow smoldering rope holding the gate snaps sending it crashing down traping the beast inside, on a short leash because of the chain from the chandelier. As the beast roars and fights against it's prison, the three on the ladder/bridge heave sighs of relief and continue climbing to safety.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"You did it, you rescued me! You were amazing, you're wonderful. You're a little unorthodox I'll admit it, but still you saved me!"

Now safely on the other side of the gorge and a good distance from the castle, the Princess was celebrating her new found freedom, she's so ecstatic she runs to the bedraggled Zuko and gives him a tight hug...which proves too much of a sensory overload for the exhausted fire-bender. As calmly as possible Zuko pushes the princess away from him, completely oblivious the princess continues on;

"Thy deed is great, and thy heart is pure. I am eternally in your debt."

"What'd you do to her?" Aang asks getting up in Zuko's face.

"Nothing she's always like that." He replies taking off his gloves. Hanging on to a rickety rope bridge/ladder over a sea of molten rock had turned his armour into a very small and cramped sweat box. Unaware of the guys' conversation, the princess is still going on,

"The battle is won. You may remove your helmet, good sir."

"Uh, no." Zuko had completely forgotten about that. The princess would take one look at his face and run back to the castle, even if it meant swimming through the lava to do it. Under no circumstances was that helmet coming off until the Princess was safely in the Fire Nation.

"Well why not?"

"I...I have helmet hair."

"Oh please, a little helmet hair never hurt anyone. I would'st look upon the face of my rescuer."

"Oh no you wouldn't—st."

"But, then how will you kiss me?"

"What?" shocked he turns to Aang, "That wasn't in the job description...was it?"

Shaking his head Aang says, "Maybe it's a perk?"

"No of course not," the princess says laughingly and the two visibly un-tense.

"It's destiny." And there's the tension...

"Excuse me?"

"You must know how it goes. A beautiful princess locked in a tower and beset by a dragon is rescued by a brave knight, and then they share true love's first kiss."

"Wait, you think Zuko is your true love?" Aang asks, sounding surprised.

"Yes." The princess replies whole-heartedly.

Without warning Zuko starts laughing...rather exuberantly, while the princess and Aang watch confused.

"Is he alright?" the princess asks uncertainly.

"I don't know this is the happiest I've seen him since I met him."

"What is so funny?"

Taking a few calming breaths Zuko takes a moment before answering, "Let's just say I'm not your type princess."

"Of course you are, you came and rescued me. Now remove your helmet."

"Guys I really don't think this is a good idea." Aang says nervously.

"I'm not going to."

"Take it off."

"No!"

"NOW!"

"Okay! Easy, as you command _'Your Highness'_." With a sense of dread Zuko removes his helmet, and being a glutton for punishment, forces himself to keep his eyes open to watch her reaction.

As Zuko finally removes the helmet both the Princess and Aang have an unobstructed view of Zuko's scarred face, as the only was to get the helmet on was to pull his hair into a topknot. When Aang had first met Zuko most of his hair was covering his face so he hadn't seen the full extent, but now he could see everything. Zuko's scar covered the upper portion of the left side of his face, covering not just his eye but his left ear as well, and it spiked into his hair line too. It looked like an angry red fire ball streaking across his face.

Honestly, Aang admitted to himself, it was pretty bad. But he'd been around Zuko for over a month now, so he was used to the scar, it was the princess he was concerned about. What would her reaction be?

Keeping perfectly still Aang looks over to the princess and watches as a myriad of emotion fly across her face; shock, fear, disgust, outrage, bewilderment, and finally...recognition?

Aang watches as Katara takes a few hesitant steps forward and looks closer at Zuko's face.

"I know you." She almost whispers, looking into Zuko's eyes. As Aang watches with those few words a strange light enters Zuko's eyes, staring back at the Princess. But before Aang can identify it said light is extinguished with the princess' next few words. "You're the Exile from the fire nation all those knights would talk about!"

Completely shut down, Zuko undoes the top not and his hair falls back into his face. "You were expecting Prince charming?"

"Well, yeah. No, no, no this is all wrong! You're supposed to be a knight, or preferably a Prince."

"How about a King?" at her puzzled expression Zuko continues, "I was sent to rescue you by Prince Ozai. He's the one who wants to marry you, all you have to do is say yes and not only will he be a king, you'll be a queen."

"Then why didn't he come and rescue me?" The princess asks as Zuko continues removing the armour until he is down to his normal clothing.

"That's a good question. You should ask him when we get there."

"But I have to be rescued by my true love-not a couple of rejects!"

"Rejects?" Aang asks, his lower lip trembling in an offended pout.

"Look princess you're not making my job any easier." Zuko says having enough of this princess' attitude.

"Well I'm sorry, _Exile_, but your job is not my problem. You can tell Prince Ozai that if he wants to rescue me properly, I'll be waiting for him right here." She says taking a dainty seat on the hot sand dune nearest to them.

'_So that's where it went.'_ Aang thinks to himself as no one else seems too concerned about the appearance of the random boulder.

"Alright listen here you; I'm nobody's messenger boy okay?"

"You seem pretty content being someone's errand boy though."

"You have two options, you can come with us the easy way, or I can make you come with us, your choice."

"You wouldn't dare." Without warning Zuko grabs her under the knees and throws her over his shoulder. "What-Hey put me down!"

Though she protests profusely Zuko just ignores her shouting and thumping on his back and starts walking towards where they left Appa.

"You coming or what Aang?"

"Oh yeah, I'm right behind you."

Aang is still astonished at what Zuko has just done, but at least they had the princess now. It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong as such; they were taking her back to civilization. No one was forcing her to marry the Prince. Well, at least _they_ weren't fording her into marriage, remembering all of Prince Ozai's fire-benders, Aang thought the princess might be a little bit "inclined" to accept Ozai's offer. All they had to do now was get her back to the Fire Nation.

"Put me down or you will suffer the consequences! Oh this is not dignified!"

'_Oh it's going to be such a loooonnnnnggg trip back.'_ Aang thinks dejectedly following the determined Zuko carrying the screeching princess.

* * *

><p><em>-Midday- <em>

"You didn't really think this one through did you Zuko?"

"Shut Up Aang." The thing that he didn't completely think through, was how to get the princess, and themselves, out of the desert because today felt even hotter than the one before so there was very little chance of the balloon getting off the ground, let alone out of the desert. And though the princess had stopped struggling having gotten exhausted hours ago, Zuko knew that she wouldn't hesitate to take an opportunity to escape him when she saw one. "Aang, do you think you can use your air-bending to get us in the air?"

"I don't know, maybe?"

"What do you mean maybe, you do it all the time, no normal kid can jump ten feet in the air." Zuko turns around to continue deliberating with Aang, the princess gives a small gasp.

"What is this thing?" she asks.

"It's a hot air balloon." Zuko replies, you can almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"And this is how we're going to get out of the desert?"

"Yep."

"Okay, I mean it this time, take me back."

"Not a chance," Getting in Zuko dumps the princess onto the floor of the basket and sets in to enjoy-finally!–A peaceful trip.

Just as Zuko's thinking this the princess gives an angry shout and wraps a slender arm around his throat, trying to choke him, as he said earlier the princess wasn't hesitant to take an opportunity when she saw one. Zuko struggled trying to dislodge her but to no avail; Princess Katara seemed very intent on strangling him.

"Aang, a little help here?" Zuko croaked as the Princess continued to cut off his airway.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Something!" Zuko says, coming out as little more than a strangled cry. If the Princess wanted a fight she was going to get a fight. Grabbing the arm she was choking him with Zuko throws him-and the princess-backwards into the saddle, momentarily dislodging her and allowing him to take a full deep breath.

The princess pushes him off her and scrambles on hands and knees to the edge of the basket. Seeing this Zuko grabs her around the waist and rolls the two of them so that the princess is pinned beneath the weight of his body.

The princess continues to struggle, and Zuko sees Aang out of the corner of his eye jump up onto the balloon's burner as he did the other day. With a mighty heave Aang fills the balloon with sir shooting it quickly high into the sky, causing the two in the basket down onto the floor. Once at a sufficient height Zuko releases her and turns on the burner as they are now high enough that flying was once again possible. He watches as she once again heads for the side, and smiles smugly as she sees that escape is now impossible.

* * *

><p>Turning back to The Exile Katara sees him smiling smugly,<p>

"Well Princess," he says leaning back and resting his head on his arms. "Best get comfortable. It's going to be a very long trip."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everybody!**

**See, I'm not dead! Just really...really...really busy with school and work and finals and money for school... (god I hate my life TT^TT)**

**Anywho...here's chapter 9, hopefully with chapter 10 right on it's heels, and if you go to my author profile you can now view some of my upcoming project ideas. I really appreciate feedback so please don't be shy, COMMENT!**

**Cool?**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 9<span>

After flying non stop nearly all day the small group had just-just-managed to get out of the Si Wong desert and were resting at a small glade before continuing on the morning. Although "glade" was being rather generous, in actuality it was really a small group of scraggly trees at the base of a large cliff face. It was rather pathetic.

'_And the only reason we're here is because of that stupid princess...'_ Zuko mused to himself as he remembers the earlier events of the day.

* * *

><p>Earlier that Same Day...<p>

_Trusting the balloon to stay relatively on course, Zuko was looking over the map trying to find the best way to proceed back to the fire nation. _

_"If we keep flying like this we should reach the coast in a few days, then it should only take us another week to get back to the fire nation capitol. Think you can handle watching the princess Aang?...Aang?" _

_Still hearing no response, Zuko turns around to fin Aang taking with the princess. _

_"Alright, say there's this...someone, and they really like you and you like them too but not in "that way" how do you let them down gently while avoiding serious bodily harm on your part?" Aang asks, they were talking about relationships of all things._

_"Just tell her she isn't you true love, everyone knows-"_

_"Hey, excuse me, hate to break up the party but you and the flying nun can talk later, right now we need to go over our route while there's still light to read the map by!" _

_"We're going to land and camp for the night right?" the princess asked with a note of panic in her voice. _

"_Not if we can avoid it we won't." The princess suddenly seemed very concerned about their plans. _

"_We should camp for the night, it could be dangerous." _

"_In the sky?" Zuko asks incredulously. _

"_Yes, what about sky-pirates, I've heard they can be very dangerous." _

"_Sky-pirates aren't real, it's just a story." He says through clenched teeth, using every ounce of his strength not to go medieval on this princess. _

"_Okay well what about the balloon? What if we hit a warm front? Do you really want to fall out of the sky again, and what if we run out of fuel?" _

_Zuko is shocked, "How-How do you know about that?" _

"_Aang told me about it." Shooting Aang a quick death glare he turns back to the princess. As much as he hates to admit it she's right. The last thing they need is to fall out of the sky over the ocean. _

"_Fine," Zuko says begrudgingly "As soon as wee find somewhere we'll camp for the night."_

* * *

><p>'<em>And that's how we ended up in this hell-hole.'<em> Zuko thinks to himself as Aang and the princess unload as the sun continues to descend towards the horizon.

"That's a really pretty sunset isn't it Princess?" Aang says sidling closer to her and causing Zuko to do a double take. Was Aang...trying to flirt with the princess?

"Sunset? I really need to go to bed. I'll just go...into that cave now. Well gentleman I bid thee goodnight." She says scurrying into said cave.

"Are you sure you want to be alone? I could always-"

"I SAID GOODNIGHT." Thinking better of it, Zuko and Aang back off and set up their own camp _outside_ of the cave.

* * *

><p>"Zuko?"<p>

"Yes, Aang?"

"Are you asleep yet?"

"...what do you think?" Zuko says rolling angrily rolling away from the Aang and the fire between them. Night had long since fallen and the two were still awake, Aang because he was "too excited to sleep" to quote the little cue ball, and Zuko because Aang-as usual-would just not shut up.

"Oh, okay then. Say, what are we going to do when we get the island back?"

"We?"

"Yeah, you know after we get the Princess back to Caldera City."

"There's that we again. Let's get something straight here Aang; there is no "We". There's just me myself and I. Once this mess is over you're on your own."

"What? You're just going to abandon me and Appa?" Aang says sitting up to stare at Zuko.

"No, I'm going to go back to Ember Island, and you can go anywhere that's not there."

"I have nowhere else to go,"

"Not my problem."

"How can you be so heartless, haven't you ever had friends...family...somebody?"

"Leave it alone Aang," Zuko says, but Aang is undeterred.

"This is one of those onion things isn't it?"

"Aang I said leave it."

"But I don't get it...why are you always cooped up alone on that island. I get the whole exiled thing, but there's a whole world out there. Why don't you just go somewhere else?"

"Maybe I like it there Aang, maybe I like to be alone." Zuko says turning around to face the young airbender.

"I think there's more to it than that." Aang is really trying his patience now, but he just doesn't seem to get it.

"For the last time Aang leave it alone."

"Why won't you answer me?"

"Why should I?"

"What are you so afraid of?"

"NOTHING!" Zuko shouts jumping up and surprising the young airbender. As he does so the fire that had been separating them jumps and grows bigger, shooting into the sky like a small inferno and then quickly shrinking back down to normal. "You have no idea what life has been like."

"Then why don't you tell me, help me to understand?"

"I can't"

"See this is what I was talking about; you always shutdown like this. Why can't you trust me?" Zuko says nothing, and with his face obscured by the fire Aang can't tell what he's thinking. He could be gearing up to kill him for all he knows.

"Alright Aang, try to understand then. Three years ago I was exiled by the crown prince of the fire nation and my life ended. When it happened every friend I had abandoned me, even my own mother, because none of them wanted to share my fate. For about a year afterwards I tried escaping that island.

"When I finally did I traveled around the earth kingdom for a little while, and by a little while I mean a day. People I'd never met before or even seen me, all of them reported back to the Fire Nation and I was "returned" to that damn island. You see Aang, I learned the hard way that the only person you can really trust is yourself."

Finally having burned himself out, Zuko falls back to the ground and stares into the smouldering embers that were once the fire, the flames having cooled with his ire. He keeps his head down, not wanting to chance looking at Aang. Though he'd never admit it, he's afraid of what he might in see in the boy's young, innocent eyes.

He hears Aang get up and assumes he's going to leave. Zuko hangs his head even more, exhaling deeply, and feeling like a fool for telling him these things about himself.

"Well I think you're wrong," Aang says taking a seat nest to Zuko "No man is an island Zuko. I think if you allowed yourself to trust other people, they'll do the same in turn, they'll accept you."

"Like who?"

"I do. When we first met I didn't think you were a bad person or anything, I was just scared. I trusted you would help me, and you did. You saved me from a whole Fire Nation battalion, and you didn't even know me. All I could think was 'wow! That guy just stood up to an army-for me. He must be really brave.' I trust and accept you Zuko; maybe you should try and do the same."

Zuko says nothing and for a moment Aang thinks he might have gotten through to the firebender. Then Zuko stands,

"Yeah well…what do you know?" he says sighing exasperatedly and moving to the other side of the campfire. Accepting defeat-but only for the moment-Aang rolls over to go to sleep.

"Goodnight Zuko." He says as he falls asleep, though Zuko ignores him by pretending to be asleep while mulling over what Aang said to him. Soon, he too falls asleep, neither of them aware that there was a certain blue-eyed person listening in on their conversation from the shadows.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Katara rose the next morning with the sun. Morning was always her favourite time of day; all traces of night were gone and it meant a new beginning. Leaving the dark shelter of the cave Katara takes a moment to take a deep breath, and a quick twirl in the sunshine. She stops abruptly at a noise to her far right, turning she sees that it's just the air-bender, Aang, rolling over. Seeing him and the Exile…no, seeing Zuko still sleeping she can't help but think about what she'd overheard last night.

She hadn't meant to eavesdrop on their conversation, it had just happened. She'd heard them yelling and then there was a bright flash of light, she had only been worried that they were fighting and would leave her stranded here…but what Zuko had said, it had her thinking differently about him. They were more alike than she first thought; they were both victims of circumstances beyond their control. He did free her from the castle and was taking her to meet her true love, and get married, and have the happily ever after she'd always dreamed about. . And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't hurt her to be little nicer to him.

* * *

><p>Zuko awakes slowly, the sun blazing across his face. Slightly irked at being awoken he tries to go back to sleep. At least until he notices that the sun is rather bright…he's overslept, which could very well mean,<p>

"Where's the Princess!" Zuko exclaims jumping up. Looking around frantically he quickly runs over to the cave to find….nothing. No sleeping princess, no awake, cranky princess, just nothing. She's escaped. Angry, not just with the princess but with himself as well, Zuko grabs his swords from where he'd left them last night.

"Get up Aang," He says securing his weapons on his back.

"Five more minutes Sister…." Aang replies rolling over. Really not having time for this Zuko picks up a piece of wood from last night's fire and throws it at the air-bender, who then awakes with a start,

"What's wrong Zuko?" Aang asks groggily

"The princess ran off while we were sleeping, we need to track her down. She couldn't have gotten far in that dessert. If we leave now we should be able to find her before –"

"She's right there." Shocked Zuko turns to see Aang pointing towards the cliff face where, low and behold, out walks the princess with an armful of fruit.

"Where have you been?!" The princess jumps slightly at hearing Zuko yell at her, the two boys had still been asleep when she'd left to gather fruit.

"Good morning to you two, breakfast?" she asks offering up a kumquat.

Seeing the princess standing there, offering him the pathetic looking piece of fruit, some of Zuko's anger dissipates. "You just went out to get fruit, not to try and escape?"

"Well, no. I took some time to think it over last night and I realize now that it was wrong of me to act the way I did, and that you're just trying to help me. So, I'm sorry."

She seems really sincere…but Zuko is having none of this. Zuko grabs the kumquats and hands them to Aang. Aang of course does not mind and happily starts to eat. Taking her elbow Zuko leads Katara away from Aang and his kumquats.

"What's your deal?" he asks once they were a safe distance away.

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean Princess. Why are you suddenly being so nice to us? Yesterday you were doing everything in your power to get away from us, including trying to kill me!"

"Who are you killing?" Aang asks with his mouth full of kumquat. Both Zuko and Katara jump, the young air nomad having caught the two by surprise.

"We're not killing anyone Aang," Katara says gently, "I was just telling Zuko that after last night I've had a change of heart and I think we should keep going. As long as we stop for the night, every night."

"That will take us twice as long."

"And it will take us three times as long if I we don't all get along, so shall we finish breakfast and get going?" conceding defeat Zuko just stops trying and leaves Aang and Katara to their fruit while he starts packing up the supplies so they can get going as soon as possible.

* * *

><p>After a few hours of flying they decided to touch down again since it was going to be dark soon. As the three of them walked along Princess Katara and Zuko got to talking. i.e. Zuko started interrogating the Princess about her magical change of heart as they walked along through the forest of huge red maple trees.<p>

"So Princess, why did you really change your mind?" he asked her, looking her over with a scrutinizing eye, just knowing she has some ulterior motive.

"Why is it so hard to believe I had a change of heart?" The princess asks indignantly.

"People don't go from wanting-to-strangle-someone angry to understanding and forgiveness in a single night Princess." That manages to shut her up as the princess hangs her head in shame, Zuko with his body turned away from the princess. They walk like this for a few moments; Aang keeping pace a few steps behind the two teens.

"I'm sorry about that," she whispers finally, "I never really meant to hurt you or anything. I was…I was scared okay? For almost ten years that tower was my home, and as much as I wanted to leave, a part of me wanted to stay…" Zuko listens silently, a part of him knowing how she felt, spending so much time on his island.

"Because you know what's there, and what can and can't hurt you, but it's different, out here in the world," Zuko says stopping. The princess stops moments later and looks back at the young firebender as he looks her dead in the eyes, "I understand."

Gazing at him speechlessly she walks back over to him, coming to stand only a few inches from him, whispering a quiet 'thank you' and staying where she is, looking into his golden eyes, as he looks back into her sapphire ones. Aang sits there, looking back from one to the other, a large smile on his face. You can practically feel the…."tension" between the two of them.

They all seem frozen in this little tableau when out of the trees swings this blur of colour and the princess is scooped up with a shout. In shock Zuko and Aang turn their attention to the forest canopy. "Princess?!"

"Put me down you freak!" following the sound of the princess' voice the two young men turn to see the Princess standing on a high up branch, grasped in the clutches of another young man, close to Zuko's age with shaggy brown hair, patched blue and red clothing and oddly enough a stalk of grass tucked in the corner of his mouth.

"Don't worry Princess; I'll protect you from the…firebender." The guy says, his voice dripping with contempt as he says firebender and looks down at Zuko.

"What do you think you're doing, put me down!" the Princess shout struggling against his hold. Rolling his eyes Zuko walks over to the tree the two are standing in, "Hey look…whoever you are, that is my Princess now her back, I've got a job to do!"

Arm still holding the princess tight, Jet jumps down to the forest floor, and he does so more people emerge from the woods, all in their teens or younger each poised with a weapon aimed at Aang and Zuko. "I'm Jet and these….are my Freedom Fighters."

"Alright, Jet, I don't know what you think you're doing but we're leaving now, hand over the Princess and no one will get hurt." Zuko says reaching a hand out in what should be a gesture of peace, but his growing hostility for the cocky young man made it feel more like a demand, which in essence it was.

Jet points one of his swords at Zuko accusingly, causing Zuko to take a step back. Jet holds the Princess tighter as she struggles to get away, "Please, you're nothing but Fire Nation scum. The world would be a better place without you…Exile, and it will be!"

Jet raises one of his swords to strike at Zuko when Katara gets an arm free and slams her elbow into Jet's stomach causing him to double over in pain. Free, she then elbows him right on the spine dropping him to the ground. Zuko and Aang stand there watching, mouths agape.

"Oh get over yourself." she says exasperated to the man lying on the ground in pain.

"Katara!" Zuko shouts as a young man in a large straw hat turns to her, bow raised and poised to shoot her. Seeing him out of the corner of her eye Katara turns, swinging her arm in a sweeping motion. As she does this a stream of water materializes and whips across the man's face, following the motion of her hand.

Thrown off balance and disoriented the boy looses his arrow, missing his target completely as he falls to the ground, hitting his head on a rock. Katara calls the water back to her covering her arm like a massive sleeve. Swinging around she uses the water to fling the other "freedom fighters" into the surrounding trees with enough force to knock them out. In only a matter of moments the small princess has incapacitated the entire band. Relaxing Katara lets the water fall to the ground, returning to her normal poised demeanor. She fixes her hair and pats down her dress to brush off any dirt.

"Well…shall we be going?" she says walking past the boys still standing frozen in shock at what they had just witnessed. Zuko is the first to come out of it, shaking his head he follows the Princess, "Hey Princess wait up!" he calls, running after her he catches her by the wrist, though she wasn't actually trying to run away. "What the hell was that?"

"What, you've never seen waterbending before?" she says breaking free of his grip.

"You never said you were a waterbender."

"You never asked."

"Where did you learn it, you said yourself you spent most of your life in a tower."

"I'm self-taught. I had to do something with my time, it was practice my bending or go mad."

Zuko wasn't entirely sure she hadn't, but he was sure she'd been lying to him. She pulled water out of the very air, something he hadn't even known was possible, she had clearly had some kind of formal training and had learned from a Master waterbender. And to think he almost let himself trust her…

Before he can focus more on this train of thought Aang comes into the glen with them and seeing Zuko screams. "AHHHH!"

"Aang what is your problem?" Zuko asks covering his ears.

"What's my problem? There's an arrow sticking out of your leg!" he screams pointing at Zuko with a shaking hand.

Surprised at Aang's statement, because he felt fine, Zuko looks down to see that he indeed has an arrow sticking out of his leg., blood leeching to the fabric of his pants, not really noticeable against their auburn colour. Non-plussed Zuko reaches down and grabs the shaft of the arrow, pulling it out, blood flowing more freely from his wound, "that's not good…"

"Ah! Zuko sit down!" Aang shouts pushing him down to the ground by hi shoulders. Zuko hisses in pain as his injured leg touches the ground. Aang starts panicking a little, zipping around at high speeds as he cries nonsense. "We need to get him help; he's going to bleed to death!"

"Aang I'm fine it's not that bad."

"Listen to him, he's delusional!" Aang stops before Zuko, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him. "Stay with me Zuko, and whatever you do don't go into the light!"

"Aang, calm down." Katara says quietly, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Zuko is going to be okay, but he'll need some herbs in case he gets a fever. I need you to go into the forest and fins me some a plant with blue flowers, and red thorns okay?"

"Blue flowers red thorns, got it!" letting go of Zuko Aang heads off into the woods chanting over and over 'blue flowers red thorns'

"What are the flowers for?" Zuko asks holding his aching head.

"To keep him occupied."

* * *

><p>"Blue flowers red thorns, blue flowers red thorns, come on Aang!" Aang mutters to himself as he searches frantically through the bushes looking for the plant Katara asked for. In the back of his mind Aang knew that Zuko would probably be alright, there was something inside him that was very afraid. Zuko might not like it but Aang considered him his friend, and after losing everything and everyone he knew Aang didn't want anything to happen to Zuko too, especially not when there was something Aang could do to prevent it…this time. Suddenly out of the woods comes a cry of pain.<p>

"Zuko!" concerned Aang grabs the first plant he can get his hands on, coincidently a plant with blue flowers and red thorny stems and heads back to where he left Zuko and the Princess. "I'm coming buddy!"

* * *

><p>~~Meanwhile~~<p>

"So…what now?" Zuko asks looking up at Katara. Now that they were alone he realized that with him injured she had the upper hand if she wanted to escape.

"Relax; I'm going to heal you." She says getting down on her knees before him , leaning in to take a closer look at his wound.

"You're a healer too?"

"That's right…uh-oh." Reaching over Katara picks up the arrow and for the first time Zuko notices there's something missing – the arrowhead. "That's not good…I'm going to have to remove the arrowhead before I can heal you."

"No way!" Zuko protests, sliding backwards away from her, wincing in pain as he can feel the arrowhead moving as his muscles tense.

"What are you doing?! You're only going to make it worse!" she reaches for him and again he moves out of her grasp. "Why won't you let me help you?"

"Why you want to help me? Yesterday you couldn't get away fast enough and now you want to help. I asked you before and you lied to me. What else are you lying about, what's your game princess?" he says scathingly, staring at her with a mixture of anger and disappointment – mostly anger.

Katara fell silent, sitting back on her heels, unable to look him in the eye as he glares at her. Taking a deep breath she says shakily "I heard you and Aang talking last night…"

"I don't need your pity."

"I don't pity you! You think I don't know what it feels like to be alone? My own father locked me away in that tower. I was taken away from my home, my family, and everything I knew…I was just a little girl. I may be a "princess" but I was just as much a prisoner as you." She says voice shaky but none the less strong, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she meets his glare. Zuko looks away feeling guilty and more like the monster everyone thought he was more than ever. What had Aang said last night…to trust people? Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea; it couldn't hurt any more than getting shot.

"I'm sorry." He says under his breath, barely audible but Katara hears it. She looks over at him, brushing away her stray tear and smiles sadly.

"So now will you let me help you….Zuko?" He's surprised to hear her use his real name, he wasn't even sure she knew what it was. He nods mutely and watches as she leans in again prodding his wounds. "Doesn't look too bad, seems like you just pulled too hard and the arrow came apart, most of the arrowhead isn't even in there anymore. This is still going to hurt though."

Katara takes hold of the stone and swiftly jerks it out causing Zuko to cry out in pain. Dropping the stone arrowhead to the ground she bends some water out of a nearby plant causing it to wither. She bends the water to cover her hand placing it on Zuko's wound the water starts to glow softly with healing energy.

"W-where did you learn to do that?" Zuko asks trying not to focus on the dull throbbing pain as Katara heals him.

"Practice, I noticed how gooey and juicy the fruits the beast brought me were so I tried bending them. Dried fruit lasts longer than fresh fruit anyways. That ought to do it." She says removing her hand.

Zuko looks down at his leg, flexing his knee. It didn't hurt or feel stiff at all. He looks back up at her, noticing now how close they were, finding himself strangely lost in her deep blue eyes. "Amazing…."

"Ahem…if you two wanted some time alone all you had to do was ask." Both Katara and Zuko look to their left simultaneously to see Aang leaning against a tree grinning like an idiot. Quickly realising the compromising position they're in – Katara sitting between Zuko's legs, their faces inches apart – the two disengage, moving as far away from each other as possible.

"Nothing happened." Zuko says tersely, stalking over to Aang, inwardly noticing how easy it was for him to walk.

"Really cause from where I'm standing,"

"Nothing. Happned."

"Hey Zuko, what do you want to do with this" Katara asks walking over to the boys holding the arrowhead she'd just removed from Zuko's leg. Seeing it Aang goes whute as a sheet.

"I-Is that b-b-blood?" he stutters before passing out falling to the ground. Zuko sighs, shaking his head as he bends over and picks Aang limp body up, slinging him over his shoulders like a fresh kill. "Just leave it here. Come on, the balloon is this way."

Giggling Katara drops the arrow head following him back to the small hot air balloon.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The next few weeks went smoother to say the least. The longer they all travelled together the closer the three of them became. Particularly, Zuko and Katara, and though they might not have noticed it, Aang most definitely did.

The stolen glances, the nervous laughs when the two accidentally touched each other, it was obvious to even a blind man that the two of them had feelings for each other.

* * *

><p><em>Island in the Fire Nation Archipelago<em>

"I can't believe we ran out of fuel," Zuko says scratching his head as he examines the balloons fuel tanks and burner again. It was only mid-day and they'd been forced to land early because they found that they were running low on fuel for the hot air balloon. This didn't make much sense to Zuko because he was sure they gotten more when they landed a few days ago.

"I saw a town when we were landing, and there was an airship port there, maybe I can buy us more fuel there." Aang says helpfully, secretly feeling guilty because he was the reason they'd landed. During the night he'd secretly syphoned some of the fuel to give his new friends some more time together…..maybe come to their senses and realize that they were falling for each other.

"Good call Aang, I'll go. You two stay here." Zuko moves to leave but he feels a hand on his shoulder. He doesn't need to see them to know the slim delicate hand belongs to the princess.

"Zuko I think you should let Aang go. He's a little less…noticeable."

"He's a bald, twelve year old with bright blue arrow tattoos all over his body."

"Yes I know but…nobody knows who Aang is, but we're in the Fire Nation now. What is someone recognizes you?"

Zuko knows she's telling the truth, and that she means no harm with what she says, but it still hurts. Not all scars fade, especially scars on the heart. Moving out of the princess' grasp he tosses Aang his money pouch.

"Cool, this could take a while; you guys might want to settle in. Bye!" Aang heads off into the woods, taking it at brisk, yet normal pace in case he happen across anyone on the path to the village, hoping the alone time would be good for his friends.

* * *

><p>"What's taking him so long?" Zuko thinks aloud, pacing back and forth. It had been two hours already and Aang still wasn't back yet. Zuko was getting anxious, he'd been avoiding being alone with Katara – no, The Princess – since she'd healed his leg a couple of weeks ago, and now here they were, again, alone.<p>

"Zuko can I ask you something?" said princess asks watching him pace like a Tigerdillo in a cage.

"What?"

"Well….it's about your scar. What happened to you?" Zuko stops pacing looking over at the princess astonished. His eyes darken and he sits down, his back to her. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have –

"I was thirteen years old," he says wearily head down, not looking at her. "My mother…she was a Fire Nation noble woman. She'd been invited to a banquet at the palace and she took me along. While we were there I got separated from her in the crowd. I tried to find her in the crowd and I accidentally ran into the prince. He took one look at me and summoned the guards. Apparently I'd "assaulted" him, and I was thrown in prison.

"I sat there for days, waiting for someone, anyone to come and tell me this was all a misunderstanding and that I could go home, but it never happened. After a while two guards came to get me, they said I had a chance to redeem myself and at that point I was willing to do anything for a chance to go home, to see my mother again."

"What did you have to do?" Katara asks, now sitting directly in front of him.

"It turns out my chance at redemption was an Agni Kai…with the prince himself." Beside him Zuko hears her soft gasp of surprise. "I didn't fight him; I wasn't much of a firebender when I was younger and it didn't seem right. Instead I tried begging forgiveness, but he'd have none of it. He burned me, and had me banished never to return to Ember Island. I haven't left since my first failed escape attempt, that was four years ago."

Hearing the pain and sorrow in his voice, Katara can't help but feel for him; all that hurt and loss just because he didn't pay attention to where he was going. It was just too cruel. Taking a chance Katara makes a bold move and gently places her hand on his scarred cheek. Feeling him tense under her hand she knows no one has been this close to him since his exile, but he doesn't move away.

"I'm sorry," she whispers running the pad of her thumb gently along his cheekbone. She apologizes not just for what happened to him all those years ago, but for how the world treated him…how she'd treated him.

Zuko relaxes under her tender ministrations, then he abruptly gets up and moves away from her, "Don't be….I'm not the one marrying him."

She wanted to say something but at that exact moment a large round fuel tank rolled through the trees coming to rest in the space between them. Looking into the trees they see Aang walking over, looking rather embarrassed.

"Sorry about that, it was way too heavy for me to carry back here, so I tried rolling it. I guess it kind of got away from me on that last hill." Aang says laughing nervously, his two friends trying not to look at each other, both very uncomfortable but for the life of him Aang doesn't know why. Zuko picks up the tank and heads over to the balloon and the other two quickly fall in line behind him. Aang had hoped that giving them some alone time would help, but it's now become clear that Aang has to take matters into his own hands.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey...so remember when I said life got in the way of my writing the latest chapter...well it happened again because I moved! **

**So after settling into my new place I've FINALLY finished the latest chapter. Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><span>Zhrek Chapter 12<span>

"Well there it is Caldera City." Zuko says pointing towards the volcanic crater, watching as the excited Princess leans out the front of the basket to try and get a first glimpse at her future home. This was it, the home stretch; by the end of this day life would go back to the way it was before. SO why wasn't he happier about it? This whole trip had been about getting his home and his life back but now all he could think about was Princess Katara. After all this time the two of them had grown close and even a small part of himself admitted that he really cared for her, but it made no difference. If he didn't take her to the prince he'd likely send out an armada to burn Ember Island to a crisp – with him on it. Besides, what how could someone as kind, gentle and sweet ever want to be with the likes of him The Exile – feared by all and loved by no one. Keep the girl and lose his home, or keep his home and lose the girl. In Zuko's mind no matter what he did he'd come out the loser.

'_What else is new?'_

* * *

><p>Aang could see the disappointment in Zuko's eyes as Katara looks out at the horizon, trying to see the city even though they were still a fair way away. This was it, time to make one last stand and see if he couldn't make things work between his friends and finally get them to admit their feelings for each other.<p>

Zuko may act tough, but he was a different man around Katara. He seemed genuinely happy – not counting that first moment in the desert – and he was really opening up, mostly to the princess not to Aang of course but that was alright. It was his understanding that men don't talk to each other about personal things. But whatever Katara asked Zuko was there with an answer.

Katara it was now obvious that when they had first met her she was putting up a front, acting all innocent and womanly and how most fairy tale princesses were supposed to act. Underneath all that though Katara was actually pretty tough, she was smart and clever and could take care of herself and others too. There was no denying the two of them had a lot in common and that it helped the two of them bond, but as they were still headed for the Fire Nation capitol it clearly wasn't enough.

Aang couldn't sit by and watch them throw away a perfectly happy future together because the two of them were too stubborn or shy to say anything about it. "Zuko can we stop early, I don't feel so well."

"Aang I don't think that's a good idea," Zuko says not wanting to prolong this anymore than he has to, already catching on to Aang's game. The boy was obviously playing sick and he knew why, but he wasn't going to cater to him because he wanted to try his hand at playing matchmaker.

"I don't know Zuko, Aang does look a little pale," Katara says placing her hand gently on his forehead, and feeling absolutely nothing. "We probably should stop. One more night won't hurt anyone will it?"

'It'll hurt me.' He thinks to himself. Sighing as he brings down the balloon for a landing down by an old barn, long since abandoned and over-grown with an unobstructed view of the Caldera that housed the city by the same name. Everyone piles out of the balloon, Aang slumps down pathetically against the basket.

"I'll go find us something to eat." Zuko says heading into the woods, unsheathing his swords.

"I'll get some firewood." Aang now left alone, relaxes watching the two go their separate ways. It was only a matter of time now….

* * *

><p>"This is really good, what is it?" Katara asks around a mouthful of food.<p>

"It's Komodo-chicken, they're pretty common around here." Zuko smiles to himself, she really liked it. Having been locked in a desert castle it had probably been years since the princess had had any meat, so Zuko had been left to prepare the food. He'd actually been pretty nervous, the three of them had been eating like rabiroos since they'd started this journey – which was okay with Aang – since it was easier to travel with.

"You sure you don't want some Aang?" Zuko calls teasingly to Aang.

"I'm good." The young airbender replies sullenly, his back facing the other two who were happily eviscerating the komodo-chicken. He knew Zuko wasn't trying to be mean – this time – but was only teasing him about earlier. When Zuko had returned with their dinner Aang said he'd be fine with it and he was sort of. He was fine when Zuko had plucked and skinned the chickens, and promptly fainted when the gutting had started. So Aang went about his business, eating his lychee nuts and giving the other two some alone time, while still staying within eavesdropping distance of course.

"This is amazing."

"Thanks. It's good that you like it, they use meat in pretty much everything in the Fire Nation."

"Really, Aang must hate it there." The two of them share a laugh while Aang sulks at being the butt of their joke. He turns to the two of them and catches Zuko's attention 'tell her' he mouths to him and Zuko looks back at him quizzically. Aang starts gesturing between Zuko and Katara and making a heart shape with his hands and judging by how red Zuko goes, he finally gets the picture. He shakes his head and gives Aang a rude gesture with his hands before turning back to the princess.

Exasperated Aang rises, "I'm going for a walk."

"I'm sorry Aang, we didn't mean to make fun of you." The princess says covering her mouth and trying to stifle her laughter.

"No no, it's fine. I just want to stretch my legs, besides I'm sure you two will have plenty to _talk_ about." Without another word Aang shuffles off into the forest. After a few feet he circles around, getting close to Zuko and Katara and their campfire, hoping Zuko would take his advice.

* * *

><p>"Aang's been acting kind of weird lately hasn't he; it's not just me right?"<p>

"No it's not just you," Zuko laughs, thinking of all the ways he was going to kill the little cue ball later. What was with him leaving the two of them alone, and all that…love stuff earlier. It was ridiculous, even if he did, hypothetically, l-love princess Katara what good would saying anything do? She was dead set on marrying prince Ozai and having that silly fairy tale ending. Just as Zuko was resigning himself to fate, he could hear Aang's voice in the back of his mind,

"_if you allowed yourself to trust other people, they'll do the same in turn, they'll accept you."_

'I cannot believe I'm doing this….' but looking at Katara, ringed by the fiery glow of the setting sun, it suddenly seemed less crazy, right even.

"Um princess?" this was it.

"Yes Zuko?" He opens his mouth to tell her how he feels, but looking into those deep, innocent blue eyes he just can't bring himself to do it. So instead he points lamely to the last piece of chicken, still skewered on the end of a makeshift kabob. "I, um, I was wondering are you – are you going to eat that."

The two immediately look away from each other, blushing intensely, one from embarrassment, the other in strange disappointment. Shaking it off Katara takes the chicken from the fire and holds it out to him, "Oh, no it's fine you can have it."

Muttering a lame thank you he reaches for it, and ends up placing his hand over Katara's. as though the two of them are linked by that small connection they simultaneously jump, feeling a small jolt like lightning when their hands touch and the two face each other, eyes locked and saying nothing.

"Wow, isn't this romantic? Just look at that sunset" Aang says appearing out of nowhere and placing a hand on each of their shoulders, causing the two of them to jump apart. Zuko clenches his fist the branch in his hand quickly catching fire as he fights down the urge to kill the airbender. This train of thought is derailed though as Katara shoots to her feet,

"Oh no, it can't be sunset already." She cries, clearly distressed.

"I see what's going on here" Aang says, you can practically here the smirk in his voice

"You do?"

"You do?" Zuko echoes, not believing Aang could figure his way out of a potato sack, let alone what was going on with the princess.

"Of course it's so obvious. You're afraid of the dark aren't you?"

"Yes…yes that's right I'm terrified of the dark." She says laughing nervously, which clearly meant that she was most definitely not afraid of the dark. "I'm just going to go to bed now, you know before the sun sets."

Katara runs up the steps into the barn, pausing at the door for only a moment to bid them a brief goodnight, then slams the door leaving the two boys alone. Zuko gives a melancholy sigh to which Aang raises an eyebrow.

"So…did you finally tell her?" Aang's voice brings Zuko out of the moment and he turns to glare at the young airbender, feeling his face heat up.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Zuko, a blind man could see you two obviously have feelings for each other."

Zuko shakes his head, rubbing his temples like Aang is giving him a headache, which he probably is. "Aang you're being ridiculous. I'm just bringing the princess back to Ozai, whatever you thought you saw was me realizing that this will all be over soon."

"Yeah, and I'm a four hundred foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings. Zuko you have to tell her how you feel." Aang says placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder. He can feel him tense under his hand but Zuko doesn't pull away, instead his shoulders slump in resignation

"There's nothing to tell…even if I did tell her, hypothetically, because I'm not saying that anything you've said is true...she's a princess, and I'm…."

"The Exile." Aang sighs, taking a seat. Without saying a word Zuko rises, shrugging off Aang's hand and walking away. "Where are you going?"

"To get more firewood," Zuko says, barely more than a whisper and stalks off into the growing night as the sun continues its descent below the horizon. Looking over at the already large pile of firewood Aang stands, but instead of going after Zuko he turns and starts walking towards the barn, it's time he and Katara have a little heart to heart.


End file.
